C 1$ 1 
have fufficient Solidity in them to recommend them- 
felves to our Pradice. Its proper Objed, an Afcites, 
however, dill baffles our Endeavours, and renders 
the Ufe of it contemptible and precarious j always af- 
Turing us of a Relapfe, by returning as condantly as ever 
we put this Method alone in Pradice to remove it 5 
fo that, even in cafe of its being confider'd as a pal- 
liative Remedy, or a Relief of the Symptoms, by 
repeating the Ufe of the Trochar, we mud fuppofe, an 
the fame time, an equal Certainty of Pain, conti- 
nual Anxiety, and, perhaps, Death ; which, at lad, 
mud be the inevitable Confequence of it. 
From thefe Confiderations, and a fincere Willirtg- 
nefs to communicate to others what I think herein 
has been of Service to myfelf, I am inclined to 
believe the following Piece of Pradice, confidering 
the Nature and Importance of it, may not be unac- 
ceptable to the Public 5 not only as it tends to efta- 
blifh an abfolute Cure for an Afcites , butlikewife as 
it may afford us fome Light in the Treatment of an 
Hydrocele , Hydrops Refforis, Ovarii, and other Dif- 
eafes incident to the human Fabric. 
In 1742, among a great many Hydropics that fell 
under my Care that Year, I was called to the Aflid- 
ance of one fane Roman . She was an Inha- 
bitant of the Parifh of St. Agnes , near Fifty Years of 
Age, and confined to her Bed, under that Species of 
Dropfy called Afcites, owing its Rife, fome Years 
before, to the Severity of a lingering intermittent 
Fever. The mod remarkable of her Complaints 
were, Lofs of Appetite, difficult Breathing, unquench- 
able Third, Suppredion of Urine, and a fhort, im- 
portunate, adhmatic Cough, joined to that edential 
Symptom, 
